After five years of direct rule by New Delhi, results are in for assembly elections in Indian-controlled Kashmir. Voter turnout was notable, a shift from past elections and an indication of the region’s growing engagement with the democratic process despite complex political tensions.
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00:00As votes were counted yesterday, it became clear Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya
00:07Janata Party would fall short of seats, with an opposition alliance formed by the Congress
00:12Party and Regional Party National Conference in the lead.
00:17The BJP won at least 29 seats in the Hindu-majority Jammu region, but didn't pick up any in Kashmir.
00:23These were the first assembly polls to be held since India's general election earlier
00:27this year, which saw Mr Modi return to power with a reduced majority.
00:31It's also the first local poll since the government stripped the Muslim-majority region of its
00:36autonomy.
00:37Following that move, a sweeping crackdown took place.
00:40Thousands of additional troops were deployed, hundreds were detained, and the internet was
00:44cut off for over 18 months, marking the world's longest internet blackout.
00:50Kashmir was already one of the world's most militarised regions, claimed by both India
00:55and Pakistan, and since the 1990s, an armed insurgency against Indian rule has taken thousands
01:01of lives, including civilians and security forces.
01:05Many Kashmiris have historically boycotted elections, seeing it as an endorsement of
01:09India's rule.
01:10But many voters told the ABC that this time, they wanted to use their ballots to voice
01:15their concerns, after years of direct rule by New Delhi.
01:20Many separatists also participated in these elections.
01:23While the BJP hasn't secured seats to govern Kashmir, they look set to win a straight third
01:29term in the state of Haryana, which also had polls in recent weeks.